What Type of Approval is Required to Set up a Solar Power Plant in India?

 

India is a country blessed with enormous amounts of sunlight throughout the year. The increasing innovation in the solar industry and the hazardous effect of fossil fuels for power generation are encouraging more people to go solar. However, people need to follow certain rules laid out by the government to install a solar power plant.

You can choose either a rooftop solar power plant or a ground-mounted solar plant to generate sustainable electricity. Both these systems have different approval and permit requirements. Moreover, people need to deal with government agencies who guide them throughout the installation process.

Here are the major approvals and permits people need to install solar power plants. Approvals for Rooftop Solar Power Plants

The permits needed for installing rooftop solar plants vary with state laws, the capacity of the solar plant, and the building sector, such as industrial, commercial, or domestic. However, in most Indian states, people need peppermint in two folds. These include the following:

• Submitting the application form to DISCOM along with the application fee.
• After reviewing the application, the authorities decided to give approval for the applied capacity of the solar plant.
• In the next step, the rooftop owner registers for installing solar power plants with the required documents and makes the payment of registration charges. Here people also need to apply for the net metering facility for their solar plant.
• Following this, the customer signs the connection agreement with DISCOM for the initiation of the installation process.
• Once the installation of the solar plant completes, DISCOM officials evaluate the standard compliance and sanction the project.

Approvals for Ground-Mounted Solar Plant

The permission procedure for ground-mounted solar projects also depends on the state in which it is installed, similar to the solar power plants on rooftops. In addition, people need the following permissions for the ground-mounted solar power plants as a form of standard registration procedures:

• After the feasibility analysis of the site from the local substation to ensure the ability of the grid to handle the power level of the solar power plant, people need to get a permission letter for power evacuation from the DISCOM.
• Requirement of a land conversion certificate when using agricultural land. This certificate is necessary to prove that the land will no longer be used for agricultural purposes.
• License for contract work issued by the labour department.
• Approval for sewage treatment facilities.
• Permit of the environment clearance by the pollution control board.
• Fire department’s certificate of fire safety.
• Clearance permit from the forest department.
• Chief Electrical Inspector’s approval for project commissioning.
• MNRE approval for the solar power project’s tax exemptions.

Conclusion

SWRE is a leading solar EPC solution provider, which has succeeded in setting up large solar power plants throughout the globe. The company initially started as a combined effort of Shapoorji Mistry Sr. and Mehervan Daruvala. By 1920, Wilson Electric Works managed the electrical contracts at Shapoorji Pallonji Construction. Later in 1971 Wilson Electric Works got investments from Sterlings (Shapoorji Pallonji Group) and took up large projects in the Middle East, the Asian subcontinent, and several other countries.

Looking at the rising demand for solar energy, SWRE started its operations in this industry in 2017 and became the leading service provider at the global level. Through the years it has bagged multiple awards with the latest recognition from RenewX as Leading EPC in 2022.

Originally published at http://realestateandepc.wordpress.com on October 28, 2022.

Explain the Challenges Faced by Developers of a Solar Power Plant

 

The abundant availability of solar energy provides great opportunities for the growth of the solar power industry. Moreover, solar technology can use solar energy for multiple purposes, such as generating electricity, heating water, providing a comfortable interior environment, etc. However, the most attractive feature offered by solar power is that it is completely sustainable and leaves zero carbon footprint.

Despite the benefits of solar power systems, industries face multiple problems producing and setting up solar panels. The most common challenges are discussed in this blog.

Solar Radiation Intensity

One of the greatest barriers to the widespread use of solar electricity is the intensity of the sun’s radiation. The intensity keeps changing according to the geographical location of a place. The poles receive the least amount of solar radiation each year, while the equator receives the most. Climates that are dry receive more solar radiation than those that are cloudy. Moreover, the amount of usable solar energy that is incident at any given area depends greatly on its latitude and climate.

Solar Panel Efficiency

Solar panels use photovoltaic effects to convert sunlight into usable electricity. However, the panels are able to convert only 17% to 19% of the captured light into electricity. This means nearly 80% of the solar energy gets wasted during the process. Therefore, industries need to develop solar panels that offer high efficiency so that more units of power can be generated from every single panel in the solar system.

Reliability

Another significant issue faced by solar panel manufacturers is the reliability of solar electricity. A solar panel can produce electricity merely for a maximum of 12 hours daily. Moreover, it reaches its maximum output briefly around noon when the sun’s rays are highly intense.

To solve this issue, solar manufacturers provide trackers to rotate the solar panels in the direction of the sun. However, this system also depends on the intensity of sunlight, which is maximum during noon. Another way to get access to solar power when the sun is not out is storage batteries, which charge during the day to provide an uninterrupted power supply at night.

Requirement of Land

Although solar panels can be installed on rooftops to meet domestic power requirements, large-scale solar power production requires a vast land area free from shading. This brings challenges for small countries with limited open areas or large countries with open areas reserved for farming or agriculture. However, to solve this problem, manufacturers have developed solar panels that can be installed on water bodies.

Environmental Concerns

Although solar power generation creates zero pollution, the manufacturing process of solar panels and storage batteries leads to environmental degradation. Nitrogen trifluoride, a common byproduct of solar cells, is more dangerous than carbon dioxide. However, manufacturers all around the world are labouring hard to develop more environmentally friendly ways to develop solar panels.

Conclusion

Similar to any industry, solar also faces multiple challenges. However, leading manufacturers like Sterling and Wilson Renewable Energy are taking steady steps to tackle all the problems relating to solar power generation to restore the disturbed atmospheric balance.

Originally published at http://realestateandepc.wordpress.com on October 27, 2022.

How can you earn money from Solar Panel Energy in India?

 

With the growing interest of the government and businesses in solar energy, India has become a hotbed for the solar panel energy market. This has also resulted in a growth in opportunities to earn money and generate employment.

But how exactly can you earn money from solar energy in India? In this article, we take a look at how!

Earning Money from Solar Panel Energy in India

To make the solar panel installation process easier on people, banks and the government both are providing loans and various schemes. It is important to note that you can only trade electricity from your home solar plant to up to 500KW. Below we understand how we can make money by generating and selling electricity through solar power. 

Obtain a license: To install a solar panel plant, you first need to get an approval license from the local electricity authority. After you sign the power purchase agreement with them, an investment of around 60k to 80k has to be made to set up the solar plant. State governments and banks also run special offers and schemes to enable the installment of solar plants, making it easier for you to make the investment.

There is some legal work required to get the permits required for your solar power plant, especially if it is a large scale power plant. Choose an eligible solar contractor, and they will help you with all the approvals

EXPLORE – STERLING & WILSON SOLAR

Solar panel installation on roofs: You do not need to have a separate space for the installation of solar panels. It is as simple as installing the solar plant on the roof of your house. Before you start selling electricity generated by these solar panels, all you need to do is tie up with the electricity company in your area. 

Availability of solar panels: At present, solar panels are available for sale in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Chhattisgarh. You can install a solar panel at your home and then sell the surplus power generated to the state government. In return, you get paid! In Uttar Pradesh, the government runs an incentive scheme on solar power. 

If you’re wondering where to buy solar panels, you can contact REDA or your state government's Renewable Energy Development Authority. Their offices are located all over the state. Apart from this, you can also purchase solar panels from private dealers. You can avail subsidies and loans for the same from banks or state governments.

About Sterling & Wilson Solar –

Sterling and Wilson Solar offers a complete range of Solar EPC solutions for utility-scale, solar rooftop, and floating solar power projects. SWSL solutions include design, engineering, procurement, construction and project management, and operations and maintenance.